Insomnia, Alcohol & Manic Depression

What you have managed to do (with our daughter) in a very remarkable space of time – three short weeks – is to take her back some twenty years to to the sharp, lively, effervescent musician, performer, conductor, teacher she used to be. I am still trying to take in the fantastic changes in her, and to stop asking myself if I am dreaming all this. I know you have not yet finished your work with her, but I felt that you are overdue, from all the family, our heartfelt gratitude and thanks for your work with Pam. Our sincere thanks.

Insomnia, Alcohol & Severe Depression

I just wanted to say Thank you. I have just had the best nights sleep in years, without any anti depressants or alcohol the first time since 1993. I know you asked me to contact you in a couple of weeks but I NEEDED to say Thank you now. I feel great.

Insomnia & Cigarettes

Insomnia & Depression Facts

For a trillion dollar industry anti-depressants and sleeping pills have not demonstrated a single cure. According to one study 80% of the people on anti-depressants are not depressed at all. Another study found that anti-depressants and sleeping pills reduce the life expactancy of people by over 40%.

Insomnia - Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Some extra Zzzs each night may improve more than just your daytime alertness. New research shows more sleep may also improve your ability to withstand pain.

In fact, sleepy volunteers who got about two hours more sleep per night for four nights showed improvements in a test measuring pain sensitivity. Participants who got more sleep were also a lot more alert during the daytime.

'If you are already sleeping eight hours a night, you probably don’t need more sleep,' says researcher Thomas Roth, PhD. He is director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. But “if you spend six hours in bed a night, spend eight — preferably nine,” he says.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

'For people who don’t get enough sleep, sleeping longer decreases pain sensitivity,' he says. This likely holds for all types of pain, including chronic back pain and other painful disorders, Roth says

More Sleep Equals Less Pain

The study included 18 healthy adults aged 21 to 35 who did not have any pain. Half spent 10 hours in bed for four nights, and the others kept to their usual nighttime bed schedules. People in the extended sleep group raked in close to two hours more sleep per night due to their new bedtime ritual, an average of 8.9 hours per night vs. 7.14 hours per night among those who kept their own schedule.

The researchers measured pain by how long participants could keep a finger held to a heat source. The amount increased by 25% in those in the extended sleep group after just four days. Previous research suggests this is comparable to taking a 60-mg dose twice a day of the painkiller codeine.

'Exactly how more sleep can help improve pain is not fully understood. We think that sleep loss and pain both increase levels of inflammatory markers, but getting more sleep may help decrease this inflammation,' Roth says.

'The next step is to look at people getting ready for surgery to see if treating any underlying sleep issues can affect their pain sensitivity and the amount of painkillers they require' Roth says.

The findings appear in December issue of Sleep

'When they extended their sleep, participants were able to withstand a greater time before they withdrew their fingers form heat,' says Harley Greenberg, MD. He is the medical director of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Sleep Disorders Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. But 'it is a big jump to apply this to patients with chronic pain syndrome'

'The study period was brief, and getting more sleep on a regular basis may have even more pronounced effects on pain' he says.

'A relatively short-lived increase in sleep time in healthy adults reduces pain sensitivity' says Roger B. Fillingim, PhD. He is the director of the University of Florida Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence in Gainesville. 'This is among the first studies I have seen to show that a modest sleep improvement reduces pain sensitivity'

Sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, says that sleep and pain are intimately connected. 'When you are sleepy, you are cranky, moody, depressed, and anxious' he says. 'Every injury or type of pain gets worse with less sleep'

Sleeping pills don’t work!

Sleeping pills don’t work! They help you sleep quickly but provide you with a bad quality of sleep (you only get a few hours sleep), leaving you feeling groggy for the rest of the day. Over time, sleeping pills are extremely addictive. I had to get one client to come off taking 70mg of Zopiclone per day (normal dosage is 7.5mg).

Now this will surprise you – the best insomnia cure on the planet is – wait for it – Good Solid Hypnotherapy but don’t expect your ‘ignorant’ doctor to tell you that. It gets worse, if anyone advertises that they can cure your insomnia then you will get in trouble with the ASA. Who is guides the ASA? The BMA, a trade association for the doctors whose members have a pathetic success rate with insomnia. So now only do they propagate useless remedies for the big pharma but block others trying to help people by abusing the law which unfortunately has been hijacked by powerful people who have a vested interest in keeping us ignorant.

By the way, it takes a lot of skill to hypnotise someone who just can’t sleep and has enormous problems relaxing – seek out an extremely good hypnotherapist and be willing to pay good money for the therapy. We run a baggage-of-life programme that deals with all negative emotions including insomnia. We also deal with insomnia as part of our additions programme free of charge. Now read on…

Client Testimonials

Philippa (from Newcastle - Staffordshire) Testimonial

In June of this year I lost my mother in a tragic accident, and I am ashamed to say I drowned my sorrows with alcohol, I soon realised it was not going to change anything, in fact, if truth be told it made me feel more depressed. I rang Shokat and asked for help, an appointment was made for me within days (where else would that happen) he wasn’t judgmental or made me feel weak (which in fact is how I did feel,) but very understanding and put back on the right track again. I felt like a different person again when I left after the treatment and much more able to cope.
I have visited Shokat’s clinic on four occasions. On my first visit his wife was present. Shokat has helped me to turn my life around, so much so I agreed to share my story, which can be viewed on YouTube.
At all times I have always felt safe and have been treated with the utmost respect, and have always found Shokat to be very professional in his manner. Shokat is one of the kindest, honest, caring, most genuine people I have ever met, and one of the few gentlemen left on this planet. I would not hesitate in recommending him to my friends and family.
In September 2009 I made an appointment to see Shokat after trawling the web site for help.
You see, even though doctors will tell you that the 'New' anti-depressants are not addictive I found it very difficult to stop taking them and I mixed them with large glasses' of red wine just for good measure.
Shokat has helped me to turn my life round.
I had been dependant on ant-depressants and alcohol since my husband died in an accident nearly 10 years earlier. I had tried on numerous occasions to wean myself off anti-depressants, by taking one every other day or every three days, but if I had a bad day or week I would be back to taking them daily.
The same with alcohol I would have the most terrible craving if I tried to go a few days without it. The treatment was the closest I have come to a miracle. To say I don’t have my bad days would be very foolish, I have had a few since my first treatment, but Shokat has always been at the end of the phone, or rang me back if I left a message and made an appointment within days for me to see him if need be.

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

"Since coming to see you I have quit drinking and my sleeping problems are now confined to history"

Tony Hill Testimonial

I am a long distance lorry driver. I used to drink all the time which causes a lot of problems. I also had problems sleeping.
Since coming to see you I have quit drinking and my sleeping problems are now confined to history.

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Tony overcame his problem sleeping with help form Life Principles.

Insomnia 1 Quit Drinking - Problems sleeping

"I sleep well and my headaches and migraines have subsided"

KS (from Manchester) Testimonial

"Since the death of my son I have become dependent on alcohol. I also suffer with anxiety, panic attacks and social phobia. I also suffer with insomnia, headaches and occasionally migraines.

After the first session I have not touched a single drop of alcohol.

My anxiety, panic attacks and social phobia are not as profound.

I sleep well and my headaches and migraines have subsided"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

KS has tried hospital detox therapy but nothing worked, until she came to see Life Principles.

Depression 15 - Nothing worked until I came here to see Shokat'

"I am still trying to take in the fantastic change in her, and to stop asking myself if I am dreaming all this"

Jim (Pamela's father) Testimonial

"Dear Shokat,

I am Pamela’s father. Six weeks ago I was in despair over my daughter’s health. Despite seeking NHS help over the past ten or more years she had just six weeks ago been diagnosed with OCD, with her behaviour complicated because of intense dependence on alcohol – to block out her nightmare thoughts.
Her physical health was at a critical stage – she could not eat, had stomach pains constantly and bouts of extreme anxiety and trembling.
What you have managed to do in a very remarkable space of time – three short weeks – is to take her back some twenty years to to the sharp, lively, effervescent musician, performer, conductor, teacher she used to be.
I am still trying to take in the fantastic change in her, and to stop asking myself if I am dreaming all this.
I know you have not yet finished your work with her, but I felt that you are overdue, from all the family, our heartfelt gratitude and thanks for your work with Pam.

Our sincere thanks.

As a postscript, and from my personal point of view:
I also feel my political hackles rise when I consider the NHS inability/unwillingness to provide support when expertise such as yours is available. I would like to provide you with a considered statement on this when I have had time to reflect fully on it"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Notes:

If Pam had gone to a psychiatrist I am 100% certain she would have been committed. When she was in therapy, even though we had gone to great lengths to make sure she was relaxed she still kept jerking violently, gasping for air and opening her eyes. So trying to hypnotise her was virtually impossible. At one time I almost called the whole thing off. So I put on a patch on her eyes, gritted my teeth and carried on. She really behaved like someone possessed which was incredibly frightening not just for myself but also for my wife who could hear everything in the room upstairs. One day I will publish the therapy captured on video (all sessions are video recorded) when she is 100% and agrees to my request.

As normal hypnotherapy was out of the question I carried on with the luggage of life programme. She got stuck at the age of 11 and became non-compliant. It took ages with lots of reframing to get her to move on a bit. After banging my head against a brick wall for three hours I let her go home. I told her mum to take care of her and bring her back in the morning. I refused to take my fee. I suppose I was hoping she would not turn up but to my surprise she turned up the very next day with her mum and dad. Her mum took me to one side and told me that her daughter has never slept so well or looked so well. She said that her daughter did not suffer from the usual nightmares and only once did she gasp for air before she nodded off – after 35 years she could finally sleep.

I found she was a lot more compliant in the second session but would still not let go off what happened to her when she was the age of 11 completely. Apart from that, I managed to remove all other trauma from her past. That was all about two weeks ago. I got a message from her mum today who told me that her daughter has not touched alcohol since the day she came to see me. Also, she has not seen her daughter have another ‘fit’ or problem with sleep. She told me that Pam was carrying out my instructions to the latter and could not wait to come back in another two weeks time for her third session.

This is a lady who would have been committed and the key would have been thrown away by the conventional psychiatry route and yet we give back 80% of her life in just two sessions. I am fully confident that she will have 100% of her life back in the next session. The NHS’s answer would have been to either put her under a psychiatrists care and be drugged for life on anti-depressants, committed or both. Their new approach would have been to send her to Cognitive Therapist for about 10-12 weeks which would still not have shifted her problems at the unconscious level, it would not have done anything for her drinking or sleep – if you want to know how to waste public money then ask the mindless morans in the NHS. Our system is much faster, safer and enduring. Once the pain of the past is gone with our ‘luggage of life programme’ it’s gone forever!

By the way Pam had gone to the AA, she had tried abstaining and she had tried hypnotherapy before she came to see us. Some people are under the impression that hypnosis is hypnosis so why pay more when you can go and see someone for £50. That is a big mistake. When you are dealing with the mind you need to pay a decent amount of money in order to see an expert.

Shokat

Depression 7 - This is the letter we received from Pam’s father three weeks later

"I have still not touched a drop of alcohol, I have no desire for it, how amazing you are"

Carol Testimonial

"Dear Shokat,

Thank you for your help on Friday, I have to say I feel like a different person. Fresh and cleansed.

My partner offered me a beer on Friday night after work and I just said No thanks, I don’t want one. I must have said it very fast, as he looked at me a bit surprised. I sat with him all night while he had a few drinks; the same on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon he wanted to go to the pub for a few beers and I had Britvic orange and lime and soda, it did not bother me at all.

I don’t seem to have any craving for alcohol. I have been drinking soft drinks and coffee. I have also had much better sleep, although I still woke up, I went back to sleep quickly.

Am I not supposed to drink coffee or eat red meat etc. anymore? I cant wait for the Life Luggage Programme this is a new start for me on a clean sheet.

Thank you again"

"Carol: Sorry I could not answer my phone. It is the annual dinner of my company’s sales conference. I have still not touched a drop of alcohol. I have no desire for it, how amazing you are. I am surrounded by drunk people!

I am also sleeping well without any sleeping aids.

Thank you"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Now she no longer has a desire for alcohol, sleeps like a baby, has forgiven her husband for his past mistakes, is driven, and no longer reliant on anti-depressants and HRT – we give back far more then we receive.

This is what she wrote several months after the therapy:

Insomnia 99 - Carol (two feedbacks), had several issues - Drinking, Insomnia, Depression, Letting go, HRT and Procrastination – all were addressed as part of the Quit Drinking Programme.

"Last night was the second good night's sleep i have had in as long as i can remember. I really hope this is the start of my journey to beating insomnia."

Sabina (from Leeds) Testimonial

"Hi ShokatJust wanted to update you on my progress since the treatment.I went to bed at approx 10pm yesterday wearing my pendant and listening to the CD on my phone. I feel asleep a short time later but did wake up twice in the night. However, i did not look at the time and almost instantly went back to sleep.I set my alarm for 6.30am and struggled to get up! However dragged myself out of bed after one snooze of the clock.Last night was the second good night's sleep i have had in as long as i can remember. I really hope this is the start of my journey to beating insomnia.I felt good and positive this morning. I have started taking the magnesium, vitamin b and 5HTP. I am still sourcing out the other vitamins but have eliminated the pepsi.I cant express in words how to thank you. I appreciate the extra mile you have gone to help me by giving me extra sessions as a gesture of good will especially as i was financially struggling (not to mention you and your lovely wife giving me a life back to the hotel).You will be in my prayers.Kind Regards"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Sabina got over her insomnia with the help of Life Principles.

Insomnia 99 - I feel asleep a short time

"I know this sounds dramatic but I really feel that Shokat has saved my life"

Jacqui Testimonial

"I had been in treatment centre’s 3 times, 2 x 30 days and 1 x 14 weeks and always relapsed just weeks after leaving the centres. I had such awful cravings for alcohol and when stressed, anxious or upset I would have to self medicate. I travelled from Ireland for my treatment and was immediately put at ease by Shokat. He is such a genuinely nice, caring man, who is interested in helping people recover from life's difficulties. And his enthusiasm is contagious!

The Treatment went so well, I had drank on the Tuesday before my visit on the Thursday as I was finding it very difficult to stay away from alcohol at all. I slept well after the first treatment but as I suffer from insomnia after the second treatment I had difficulty sleeping which made me anxious. I contacted Shokat and he immediately fitted me in for an extra session.

I have come home and since my visit I have not at all craved or wanted/needed Alcohol at all. Its amazing a pure Miracle! And there have been many stressful times in the last few weeks, where I would have definitely needed a fix of alcohol to get me through! but it has not entered my head at all!

I know this sounds dramatic but I really feel that Shokat has saved my life as I had crashed several cars and my self esteem was so low, I had contemplated suicide on many occasions and had begun to self harm. I feel calm, contented and I would even say happy for the first time in many many Years.

I have more energy and even exercise now, and have caught some of Shokat’s enthusiasm. And to him I will be forever grateful. My family can not believe the change in me physically and mentally! I would recommend that everyone struggling no matter how sceptical give this treatment a chance. You deserve it!

Thank you so so much Shokat"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Jacqui quit drinking and sleeps well with help from Life Principles.

Insomnia 99 - I really feel that Shokat has saved my life'

"I have not needed to take my sleeping pills since that date"

Brian Testimonial

A little while ago, I developed a problem with insomnia, and I could not sleep. My GP give me some very powerful sleeping pills, but even after taking these, I was finding it difficult to sleep. In fact, I was walking around severely depressed like a zombie. No matter what I did, I just could not sleep. I was at my wits end. I spoke to Shokat about my sleeping problem and he said why did you not tell me earlier.

Anyway, Shokat called me over as soon as he was free and I got the privilege to lie in his comfortable hypnotherapy chair.

He connected me to all his machines and two hours later my problem was solved. That night I slept for the first time for days. I did not need my medication which promptly went in the nearest bin. I have not needed to take my sleeping pills since that date"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Brian got over his insomnia with help from Life Principles.

Insomnia 99 - Shokat is my friend and also my next door neighbour'

"I feel really great and hope this keeps up"

Catherine Testimonial

"I was very tired yesterday but tired in a good way. I am listening to the CD’s and love them.

I keep getting hundreds of thoughts about cigarettes but remind myself I am a non smoker now and will bear with it.

I feel really great and hope this keeps up.

Will be in touch again with my progress"

Comment: Shokat Ali - Life Principles

Catherine who is a nurse, quit drinking and smoking with help from Life Principles.

Quit Drinking 99 - Just to let you know I feel really good after my session, I am having the best sleep ever'